Why You Should Leave A Few Weeds In Your Garden

Everyone is always quick to grab the glyphosate or tear weeds from the earth. But did you ever stop to think what they could provide to your garden if you just left a few? And what is a weed really? By definition, they're simply a plant that's growing in an undesirable location.

Did you know though that 'weeds' actually provide a vital food source to insects such as bees, when food is scarce, and nectar for tiny parasitic wasps and hoverflies. (Hoverfly larvae eat your aphids!) Weeds also help provide shelters for your beneficial insects.

They help protect bare soil from erosion (acting as nature's band aids and a live mulch) and aid you in improving soil structure via their roots.

Lots of 'pesky plants' can also provide vital indicators and clues to things you may not notice in your garden otherwise. By the mere presence of a weed, it can signify your soil coyld be compacted, too acidic, have poor drainage, or even too much nitrogen!

Also lots are actually edible or have medicinal properties, although make sure you are 100% sure of what a plant is, weed or otherwise before consumption!

I found this book to most interesting and useful in this department.

There is, of course, a balance that needs to occur though, not all weeds are good, lots of weeds are introduced and invasive, causing significant harm to our native Australian species. Its important to recognise what can assist for short periods of time without creating a larger issue. Avoid leaving invasive weeds, and try to make sure you remove them prior to flower and seed.

Due to the fast growth and dense clustering of most weeds they can overwhelm and smother young seedlings and some plants. Many also spread very quickly and easily, so you have to be very cautious. They can also become quite tall and conceal objects or spicy danger noodles aka snakes or other harmful creatures simply taking refuge.

Rather than trying to eradicate every weed from your garden, aim instead for intentional weeding, so remove those weeds that are:

. Highly invasive.

. Compete with your crops or young plants.

. Produce large amounts of seeds.

. Spread heavily through roots, runners, bulbs etc.

Then leave weeds that are:

. Flowering for your pollinators .

. Growing in spaces your not using or on bare, unprotected ground.

. Helping out without overwhelming your other green babies.

Not every weed is beneficial, some can harbour pests, snails and slugs are great examples, some harbour fingal diseases or viruses that transfer to other plants. Its recognising those that are your little garden elves and who are the trolls.

Those weeds you do leave however, you can replace over time with natives or other, safer alternatives, to provide those vital services. 

Nature is a wonderfully untidy and chaotic thing, and for me personally I dont think my garden is ever as healthy as when I cant get out there for a few weeks and things run rampant. So instead of instantly loading up your sprayer with herbicides, why not see if you can turn these unwanted guests into  helpers and part of your ecosystem, benefitting your garden, the creatures that call it home, and, of course, you.

Happy gardening everyone.